Ryan Zinke
Ryan Zinke | |
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52nd United States Secretary of the Interior | |
Assumed office March 1, 2017 |
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President | Donald Trump |
Preceded by | Sally Jewell |
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Montana's At-large district |
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In office January 3, 2015 – March 1, 2017 |
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Preceded by | Steve Daines |
Succeeded by | Greg Gianforte |
Member of the Montana Senate from the 2nd district |
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In office January 2009 – January 2011 |
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Preceded by | Dan Weinberg |
Succeeded by | Dee Brown |
Personal details | |
Born | Bozeman, Montana, U.S. |
November 1, 1961
Political party | Republican |
Spouse(s) | Lolita Hand |
Children | Wolfgang Konrad Jennifer |
Education | University of Oregon (BS) National University (MBA) University of San Diego (MS) |
Awards | Bronze Star Medal Meritorious Service Medal |
Military service | |
Allegiance | United States |
Service/branch | United States Navy |
Years of service | 1985–2008 |
Rank | Commander |
Unit | DEVGRU |
Ryan Zinke (born November 1, 1961) is an American politician who is the 52nd United States Secretary of the Interior. A Republican, he previously served as the representative for Montana's at-large congressional district from 2015 until 2017. He served as a member of the Montana Senate, representing Senate District 2 from 2009 to 2011.[1]
Contents
Education
Zinke attended the University of Oregon, where he was an All Pac-10 lineman for the Oregon Ducks. A student-athlete, Zinke earned a B.S. in geology. Zinke also earned an MBA from National University and an MS from the University of San Diego.[2]
Military career
Zinke served as a U.S. Navy SEAL from 1986 to 2008, retiring at the rank of Commander.[3] Zinke graduated from Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL training class 136 in February 1986 and subsequently served with SEAL TEAM ONE from 1986 to 1988. His next assignment was as a First Phase Officer of BUD/S before serving with United States Naval Special Warfare Development Group (NSWDG) from 1991 to 1993. Zinke then served as a Plans officer for Commander in Chief, U.S. Naval Forces, Europe (CINCUSNAVEUR) and served a second tour with NSWDG as team leader and operations officer from 1996 to 1999. From 1999 to 2001, Zinke served as executive officer (XO) for the Naval Special Warfare Unit Two. His next assignment was as executive officer, Naval Special Warfare Center from 2001 to 2004.
In 2004, Zinke was named the deputy and acting commander of Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force–Arabian Peninsula. In this capacity, Zinke led a force of more than 3,500 Special Operations personnel in Iraq. Zinke was awarded two Bronze Stars for meritorious service in a combat zone,[4] four Meritorious Service Medals,[4] two Joint Service Commendation Medals, two Defense Meritorious Service Medals,[5] and an Army Commendation Medal.[5] Following his tours in Iraq, Zinke was selected to establish the Naval Special Warfare Advanced Training Command, where he served as “Dean” of the Naval Special Warfare graduate school until his retirement from active duty in 2008.
Political career
Zinke was elected to the Montana Senate in 2008, serving from 2009 to 2011, representing Whitefish, Montana.
He was the running mate of Montana gubernatorial candidate Neil Livingstone in the 2012 election.[6] The Livingstone/Zinke ticket finished fifth out of seven in the Republican primary with 12,038 votes (8.8% of the vote).
U.S. House of Representatives
2014 election
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In spring of 2014, Zinke announced that he was running for Montana's at-large congressional district, held by Republican Steve Daines, who was running for the U.S. Senate.[7] Zinke won the Republican primary with 43,766 votes (33.25%) and faced Libertarian Mike Fellows and Democrat John Lewis, a former State Director for U.S. Senator Max Baucus, in the general election.
Zinke campaigned on a message of North American energy independence, a stronger economy, and a robust national defense and border security. Zinke won a five-way primary election and was elected to Congress on November 4, 2014, with 56% of the vote and over 200,000 total votes.[8]
2016 election
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Zinke is running for re-election in 2016. He is running unopposed in the Republican primary. He will face Denise Juneau in the general election.[9]
Committee assignments
Secretary of Interior
Vice President Mike Pence swore Zinke in as Secretary of the Interior on the evening of March 1, 2017 after Zinke was confirmed 68-31 by the Senate earlier in the day.[10] On his first full day on the job, Zinke rode a horse to his office and proceeded to issue a secretarial order overturning a ban on hunting with lead ammunition that had been enacted on the final full day of the Obama administration.[11]
Personal
Zinke is married to Lolita (née Hand).[12] They have three children.
References
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External links
United States House of Representatives | ||
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Preceded by | Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Montana's At-large congressional district 2015–2017 |
Succeeded by Greg Gianforte |
Political offices | ||
Preceded by | United States Secretary of the Interior 2017–present |
Incumbent |
- 1961 births
- American military personnel of the Iraq War
- Living people
- Members of the United States House of Representatives from Montana
- American Lutherans
- Montana Republicans
- Montana State Senators
- People from Bozeman, Montana
- Recipients of the Bronze Star Medal
- Republican Party members of the United States House of Representatives
- United States Navy officers
- United States Navy SEALs personnel
- University of San Diego alumni